Compare towns
Dover vs Kennebunk vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dover | Kennebunk | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
11,820Lowest |
20,819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Kennebunk and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Dover and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Saco and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dover School District | RSU 21 | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.6Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.